Last year's 10-day motorcycle rally generated nearly $75 million for the local economy.

This year's event is expected to bring in 1.5 million visitors.

However, the fun comes to a screeching halt when there is a crash.

Law enforcement and safety organizations are reminding bikers and motorists to look out for each other.

There were 457 motorcycle fatalities in Florida in 2012 -- four of them during Bike Week.

Charlie Wenger rides in a wheelchair rather than on a motorcycle after being critically injured when a vehicle turned in front of him.

"In that accident I lost my leg," said Wenger. "In that I lost my job because I was not able to work and I have other injuries."

The motorcycle ride, on the first day of the event and led by law enforcement, was to promote safety.

Officials want to remind riders that sometimes it's the bikers that are at fault. They too need to be reminded that more than 30 percent of motorcycle fatalities involve drunk bikers.

"We'll be out looking for motorcycles who want to have a good time, but unfortunately have gotten back on the bike after they've been drinking," said Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Kim Montes. "We know that's a deadly combination."

Bike Week kicks off on Friday, and motorists are urged to drive with extra caution to help make this year's event safe.

CAN YOU HEAR THE ROAR OF THE ENGINES? HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MOTORCYCLE AFICIONADOS AND THOSE WHO LOVE TO SEE THEM RIDE ARE DESCENDING ON DAYTONA BEACH FOR BIKE WEEK. THERE WE GO. IT'S AN AWESOME TEN-DAY PARADE OF PEOPLE THAT ROLLS OFF YOUR VOLUSIA AND NEIGHBORING COUNTIES BUT THE FUN COMES TO A SCREECHING HALT WHEN THERE'S A CRASH. AS CLAIRE METZ TELLS US, THERE'S A BIG EMPHASIS ON SAFETY THIS YEAR ON MAIN STREET AND ELSEWHERE. MOTORISTS MAY HEAR THE BIKERS BUT NOT SEE THEM. OR AREN'T WILLING TO SHARE THE ROAD. SOMETIMES BIKERS CAN THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND. THE RESULTS ARE NEVER GOOD. THE IRON HORSES ARE HERE AND THEY WILL BE HERE, THERE AND EVERYWHERE FOR DAYS NOW. SO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SAFETY ORGANIZATIONS ARE REMINDING BIKERS AND MOTORISTS TO WATCH OUT FOR EACH OTHER. THEY WERE 457 FATALITIES IN FLORIDA IN 2012. FOUR OF THEM HERE DURING BIKE WEEK. AND THE SAD REALITY IS, ODDS ARE THERE WILL BE ANOTHER. STAY SEVEN SECONDS BEHIND A MOTORCYCLIST. IT TAKES TWICE AS LONG TO STOP A MOTORCYCLE AS IT DOES A VEHICLE. IT WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT HE WAS DOING. CHARLIE RIDES IN A WHEELCHAIR RATHER THAN A MOTORCYCLE AFTER BEING CRITICALLY INJURED WHEN A VEHICLE TURNED IN FRONT OF HIM. IN THAT ACCIDENT I LOST MY LEG. I LOST MY JOB BECAUSE I WAS NOT ABLE TO WORK. THIS MOTORCYCLE RIDE ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE EVENT AND LED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS TO PROMOTE SAFETY. REMIND EVERYONE WHO IS IN TOWN. BUT SOMETIMES IT'S THE BIKEERS THAT ARE AT FAULT. THEY TOO NEED TO BE REMINDED THAT MORE THAN 30 PERCENT OF MOTORCYCLE FATALITIES INVOLVE DRUNK BIKERS. WE'LL BE OUT LOOKING FOR MOTORCYCLES WHO WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, HAVE GOTTEN BACK ON THE BIKE AFTER THEY'VE BEEN DRINKING. WE KNOW THAT'S A DEADLY COMBINATION. LAST YEAR THERE WERE THREE BIKE WEEK RELATED DEATHS BUT THIS YEAR OFFICIALS ARE HOPING TO GO ZERO. THE MANTRA.